Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel proved why he was named Serie A MVP for the 2022-23 campaign, equalling the all-time record set by Gigi Buffon and Morgan De Sanctis for clean sheets, despite not originally being first choice.
He received his award as Goalkeeper of the Season before kick-off.
The former Empoli man was back on his old turf at the Stadio Castellani this evening for a 2-0 victory and that allowed him to enter the history books.
It was his 21st clean sheet of the Serie A season, equalling the record in the three points for a win era.
This had already been set twice by Buffon at Juventus in 2011-12 and 2015-16, plus Morgan De Sanctis for Roma in 2013-14.
Provedel’s record is all the more remarkable considering he was not even supposed to be the first choice goalkeeper for Lazio this season.
He had started out as the understudy to €10m signing Luis Maximiano, but had to step in when the Portuguese shot-stopper was sent off six minutes into his Serie A debut against Bologna on August 14.
Provedel, who cost €2.38m to sign from Spezia on August 8, came off the bench that day and went on to play all 38 Serie A matches, conceding 30 goals and keeping 21 clean sheets.
Maybe this will wake up all Serie A clubs to choose Italian players first, before spending tens of millions on unproven/mediocre talent from abroad. The top 2 sides boast Italian keepers, but then you have to go all the way down to 8th for the next one. In fact, only 4 of the current top 10 have Italian keepers.